Weightless
by Interim
Summary: The weight of his love wasn't hers to bear—the ring wasn't meant for her. It never was. AU; Oneshot; NejiTen.


**A/N: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Weightless**

Neji skulked down one of thousands of corridors at Konoha University. This one was empty, for a change, and he sighed, relishing the silence. He looked around him warily before ducking into an abandoned classroom along the hall, shutting the door noiselessly behind him. He flicked on the lights—perfect.

Solitude.

He gingerly set his backpack on one of the tables and dug through his materials—a pen, some textbooks, notes… there. He pulled it out carefully, gently. It glistened in the light like a fairy, winking and snickering at him, it seemed. Suddenly the door burst open, and he hurled himself over the desk—shielding the object from probing eyes—

But it was just Tenten. She laughed at him.

"Nice cover," she said. "I take it that you have it, then?"

In reply, Neji rose from the table, and there it was, stilling gleaming and glimmering like it was full of secrets. Her lips parted, and her eyes glossed.

"I never thought it would be this beautiful," she breathed. She inched closer, inspecting it with care, tracing every curve and suture with her gaze. She reached out and Neji abruptly grabbed her hand. His grip was tight.

"You can't touch it," he said curtly.

"But—!"

"No."

She huffed and yanked her hand away, staring after the object longingly. "How in the _hell_ did you manage to get it?" She asked lightly, trying to conceal her wonder. Neji shrugged.

"I'm good at what I do."

"I guess."

They stood for a moment in silent admiration. Both said nothing, but they didn't have to. After a time, Tenten spoke again:

"When will you give it to her?"

Neji didn't hear the bitterness in her voice.

"Today, hopefully."

"She's a lucky woman."

"_Fine_," Neji sighed. "You can try it on."

Tenten squealed in delight and snatched the ring from the table. With the greatest care, she slipped it on to her finger. It fit perfectly. The Hyuuga family crest sparkled proudly on it, encrusted in turquoise diamond. She nearly sighed—it was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen, worthy of the family whose name it bore. It crushed her unutterably to know that some other woman would wear this forever—some other woman would have the privilege. Her eyes stung, and she pulled the ring off with heavy reluctance—but she hid it well. She placed it back on the table where it continued to wink at her.

"So today, huh?" Tenten remarked. Neji merely nodded.

"You know," she continued, keeping her voice teasing, "I find it quite insulting that you would hide this from me for so long—I thought we were _best friends_. I should at least know who you're _proposing_ to."

"You'll find out today," he smirked. "I wanted to ensure it would be a surprise."

He left shortly after that, carefully slipping the ring back into his bag, not even glancing at Tenten again as he shut the door behind him. She felt heavy knowing that he didn't love her. That he would leave so easily and give himself to another woman so quickly. The stinging in her eyes gave way to tears, dripping from her cheeks and shattering on her chest. She felt broken, and she clenched a hand on her mouth to keep her sobs at bay. It wasn't fair—it should be her.

But life wasn't fair. You don't always get the guy—even if you know him best. Even if you've spent every day with him for since you were twelve—every day for ten years. Even if you've loved him all along. She sat down, winded. She willed her tears to stop—why bother letting them fall? She'd cried enough over him in the last ten years to drown a mountain. But it had made no difference. Tenten picked up her phone.

"Hey," Sakura said from the other line. "Did you see it?"

"Yeah," Tenten replied thickly. "It was just as beautiful as you could ever imagine."

There was silence on Sakura's end, nothing but a perpetual faint buzzing sound.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I know what he means to you."

"I just hoped _he_ would have figured it out by now, too."

"Do you want to come over tonight?" Sakura asked, trying to lighten the gloom. "I'll invite Temari and Ino, and we'll make it a judge-free-venting-zone."

Tenten tried to smile, but she was sure it looked more like a grimace. "That sounds nice."

"Good," Sakura said. "I'll see you at seven o'clock _sharp_."

The phone clicked, and the buzzing died. Tenten wanted to die with it. But she stood up, heaved her backpack on her shoulder, and trudged out the door.

* * *

Despite feeling sick, she continued through her day of classes and exams—strategically avoiding the places in which she usually found Neji. She couldn't face him again with her façade, lest it crumble and she reveals everything and ruins their friendship completely. She refused to let it come to that.

She must truly love him, she thought, if she'd be willing to endure seeing him married with some other woman on his arm just to keep him as a friend. It would be torturous, but he meant more to her than anything, and she would bear it. Whether she actually _could_ had yet to be determined. But she would try, at least, even if it killed her.

In each minute of her wanderings she wondered if he was proposing to his mystery woman right now. She played each version of the scenario in her mind, despite the bile that pressed up her throat: Was the mystery woman crying, perhaps? Laughing, maybe? Was she throwing her arms around Neji—and was he lifting her off the ground, sweeping her off her feet and whisking her away?

"Tenten."

She whirled, flushed. She'd been trying to avoid him this whole time, especially now as she weaved through the crowded hallway, trying desperately to be just another nondescript face. How did he find her?

"Hey, Neji," she tried to sound happy to see him. The traffic of students flowed and ebbed around them like they were rocks in a stream.

"I need to talk to you."

He looked serious, stern. Did he finally learn how she felt about him? Tenten tried to sound casual but felt like choking.

"Yeah, sure," she said, although her smile felt thin. "What about?"

"My ring is missing, and you were the last to handle it. What did you do with it?"

She blanched. "_Excuse_ me?"

"Come on, Tenten," he sighed. "Just tell me."

"I put that ring on this morning in_ front _of you. _You_ put it back in your bag and walked out the door. I haven't seen you _all day_ from this morning until now. _I don't have it_," she said, furious and flustered by his accusation. Why would he think she took it? It's not like it was meant for her, anyway.

"Just empty out your bag for me," he said stiffly. Her fists clenched and she could feel tears again.

"Fine," she said, stricken. The rush of students didn't stop as she bent down and spilled the contents of her purse before him. Notes and pens and books tumbled out, spraying across the floor. People looked on in wonder, but no one stopped and stared for too long.

Suddenly a gleam caught her eye, and out of her bag trickled the small ring, beaming up at her in wicked glory. She stared at it uncomprehendingly—this wasn't right. She didn't take it. She looked back up at him, hazel eyes wide.

"Neji, I—I have _no_ idea how this got here," she sputtered frantically, more tears falling. "I swear it _on my life_—someone must have framed me, but you're my best friend and I would _never_—!"

"Tenten," he cut her off. He knelt down in front of her, his eyes solemn, troubled. She didn't even realize she was sobbing—the agony of everything going wrong in her life rendered her inconsolable; she couldn't handle it anymore. He sifted through her mess and gently picked up the ring—which was still winking at her—from the floor, cradling it in the palm of his hand. "Do you truly think of me as your best friend?"

"You were never anything _but_ my friend," she said, pleading for him to understand. "I would never betray you like this—you _know_ that. You'll never be an enemy to me."

He laughed once, but it was cold. "If I'm only your friend, then how could…" He trailed off, muttering more to himself than to her. She guessed his stream of thought and tried desperately to answer, to make him see her innocence:

"I know, I know," she rushed. "If I'm your best friend, then how could I have stolen your ring? It's because I _didn't_, Neji, and I _know_ how it looks but please—_please_ see that I could never hurt you like that." Her tears continued to dribble down her face, and she was afraid they would never stop. Suddenly, the ring disappeared, clenched into his fist.

"No, _no_… by _Kami_ that's not what I meant," he said, and he looked straight into her with eyes more silver than the ring he clutched. "Tenten, how oblivious _are_ you?"

Somewhere in the distance she heard the chime of a bell, and realized that they were alone in the hallway. The river of students had dried, leaving the two of them like lonely rubble. His fist still gripped the ring tightly, and her tears still fell, but he continued:

"If I'm _only_ your friend," he said, "then how could I ever hope you would love me?"

Her tears froze on her cheeks, and she realized everything.

"_You_ put the ring in my purse," she whispered, testing the taste of it on her tongue. She knew it was true the moment she said it. "Why would you do that, and then come accusing _me _of stealing it?"

"Because I knew it would surprise you, and catch you off guard," he said, smiling bitterly. "I thought I was being creative, but perhaps I should have tried proposing the proper way."

Without warning, she slapped him hard across the face.

"_Don't_ you make fun of me," she said, voice and body trembling. And she stood up, glaring down at him. "I didn't think you were capable of being so cruel."

Before she could walk away from Neji and the mess at her feet, he grabbed her hand.

"Hear me out," he said urgently. "Please."

He guided her back onto the floor, where she kneeled again in front of him, tears unfrozen and falling. His hand didn't move from hers as he spoke:

"It was only ever you, Tenten. All along. I realized it one night when we were fifteen—we were just in your basement playing video games, you probably wouldn't even remember. But I looked over at you, and it was the way you smiled back at me, the way it ignited me inside. I knew. I knew that there would be no one else for me—I didn't need to search to draw that conclusion. When Sakura told me that you've felt the same way for all this time too, I knew I had to make a move. I figured that, were your feelings as true as mine—as true as Sakura had said—then why _not_ propose? We've been dating all along, haven't we? We know each other better than anyone else—ten years is not something to scoff at."

"Sakura told you?" Tenten asked, softer this time. "When?"

"A few months ago," he said, his shoulders falling. "I'd observed you more closely since then, trying to find the telling signs. Maybe I'd convinced myself that you loved me, and misinterpreted every blush or smile. I'm sorry I put you through all of this. I had no idea Sakura was merely playing some sick joke. I should have known that from the start—this sort of happiness is a luxury no one can afford."

He let go of her hand, and moved to help her gather the spilled supplies and papers.

"Neji."

"Yes?" His voice was strained.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Unfortunately."

She gingerly touched his hand that gripped the ring. It opened for her, and the ring bared itself in all of its diamond finesse, a snickering tease. Slowly, carefully, she glided it onto her finger again as if she were Cinderella, and this was the glass slipper that would determine, once and for all, if Fate was a respecter of persons and if happily ever afters could truly exist—

It fit perfectly.

She expected it, but the relief quelled her doubts. He actually meant what he said, and she looked into his eyes, trying to see his thoughts.

"How did you know my size?" She asked, her voice nearly inaudible.

In reply, he held up a small, silver ring.

"Sakura," he said. There was a glimmer of hope in the pearly sheen of his eyes. "She brought me this ring. I had the Hyuuga ring fitted to match it."

"Sakura," Tenten muttered. "I knew she'd rat me out someday…"

"She was telling the truth, then?" His voice was low, almost daring not to give in to hope.

Tenten felt the weight of the word as she said it—it would change everything about their relationship:

"Yes."

And it was as if wings erupted from her back, and she was airborne.

Weightless.

And his hands were warm on her waist, his lips warm on her skin. It was as if every barrier separating them disintegrated—as if they'd never existed at all. They moved in sync like old lovers, everything so new but familiar. His ring glimmered on her finger like a sigh, and it seemed content with itself.

Time lost all meaning in their rapturous haze—minutes, hours… it was all irrelevant. His murmurs and hands were all that mattered to her; each curve and sigh of his mouth told her wordlessly _I love you_. And each trace of her finger and subtle smile replied_ I know_.

In the distance, again, came the chime of a bell, but Tenten might as well have been deaf.

The river of students flooded the halls again, and what was once so desolate and dry raged with life, rekindled. And Tenten and Neji knelt breathless in their midst, oblivious and uncaring. This moment was too precious to be wasted worrying about others.

Neji was the first to pull away.

"I take it that you... agree, then?"

All she could do was smile. "Of course."

And she just looked at him, wondering somewhere deep within her how life could maneuver so dramatically, dazedly, and perfectly. He was her prince, and everything was all right now. He had saved her. She was whole.

She smiled too, as she thought of Sakura—the woman who knew it all. The woman who made it all possible. She was curious if the others knew too, but those thoughts quickly melted into silver as his eyes beckoned her to him again, smiling.

All the while the students still roared and poured and meandered around them, and the ring still winked and snickered on Tenten's finger, as if to congratulate itself on its triumph. The world around them was unchanged, except for the hearts of two. She could feel it from the mess of paper at her feet to the fluorescent lights glaring in the ceiling.

"I need to get you a ring, don't I?" She said offhandedly as the thought struck her. He shook his head, holding up the silver ring again.

"This is all I need," he murmured. "I'll have it fitted to my size."

"Are you sure?" She asked, inspecting it. "It's a little dull—I want to get you something nice, Neji. I _love_ you for Kami's sake."

"I'm perfectly content" he smiled. "Because _you_ are all I need."

She blushed at his words, but pulled him close and kissed him hard in reply.

And she was weightless with it all.

* * *

Another unrealistic and predictable story, but I had fun writing it. Let me know what you think!


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